The best new bars in India

Find your fix

Our annual list gets a serious overhaul this year. Whether you’re a craft beer snob, a malt maniac or a cocktail junkie, you’re guaranteed to find your favourite fix at one of these bold new bars. Here, the best drinking experiences the country has to offer, GQ-certified. These are the best new bars in India (and a few of GQ’s all-time favorites).

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Image: Adil Hasan

Juniper, Hyatt Andaz, Delhi

Of all the gin joints in the world, you should walk into this one. With a drinks list that reads like it’s straight out of an apothecary’s journal, Juniper’s artisanal cocktails are a revelation. A bevy of bartenders work their craft on a central community table, against a dizzying backdrop of 40 different gin infusions – including curry leaf and timur pepper spicy enough to numb your tongue – to create potent, grown-up drinks that taste as fine as they look.

What you’re having: The Alchemy with lavender gin, elderflower, lemon and egg white, and the Botanica Panacea that blends rose and cocoa butter gin, port and jasmine. Don’t miss Juniper’s signature tipple either: the Delhi Sapphire, infused with local spices and heavy on the cinnamon and cardamom. Drink it on ice with a zesty slice of orange as garnish.

Image: Manish Mansinh

Razzberry Rhinoceros, Mumbai

If you’re an Eighties Bombay kid, chances are Razz Rhino played a big role in shaping the playlist of your wonder years. Razz 2.0 combines sentimental charm, gorgeous sea views and tasty bar food to keep you coming back. The space is divided into four sections – an easy-breezy bistro, a chill patio, a lounge-cum-gig area called the Razz bar and a sea-facing deck – sopick according to your mood. You might even forget, albeit briefly, that you’re in the heart of snarly, potholed Juhu.

What you’re having: Choose from one of the more unusual bottles – pisco, mezcal and lesser-known gins like Sipsmith – and ask the bartender to customise your drink. For daytime bumming, there are refreshing concoctions on the ‘root-to-fruit’ menu like the Muskmelon And Litchi, or the SweetLime And Sage. For something more adult, there’s the Cold Brew Old-Fashioned.

Ozora, Kolkata

If rooftop bars are your thing, look no further. With an LED-lit bar that’s part of the 10,000sqft skydeck, this is the perfect place to crack open a cold one and take in panoramic views of Kolkata at sundown. Ozora’s especially popular for its OTT Bohemian glass sheesha, which looks like something out of a sci-fi flick has descended on your table. And for those up for a splash, an open-air private pool awaits.

What you’re having: Mexican beers like Sol or Corona if you’re feeling basic; the Jalapeno martini or the Smoky martini if you’re feeling fly.

House of Nomad, Taj Land's End, Mumbai

Despite rocking an island bar that looks more like an art installation than a place to grab drinks on a Friday night, Nomad still manages to feel like your quintessential local – just way posher. Perhaps it’s the Art Deco vibe, that wood-and-brass bar – handcrafted from a 17-year-old mango tree – or the massive ‘Menage à quatre’ punch bowls that serve four and encourage impassioned debates over the latest episode of Game Of Thrones. Either way, this is where we’d go to celebrate the beginning of the weekend, for date night or simply when we’re in the mood for some serious cocktail theatre.

What you’re having: One of the boozy, barrel-aged cocktails or the Islay Smoked Sour, which is finished with a delicious smoky Islay sea salt foam. Your date’s going for the Channel No 6, a vodka-based drink served with a lipstick made of raspberry jelly, as well as a rose water spray in a vintage perfume bottle.

The-Bar-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named, Delhi

A speakeasy in its truest sense, everything about this one is shrouded in secrecy – its name, its location, its very existence. If you want to get in, it helps to have friends in the right places. The mood – all dim lights and buttery leather couches – is enhanced by a smooth vinyl jazz soundtrack. The bar seats just 20 people a night, so you’ll need to reserve your spot well in advance. If you get lucky, a leather pouch with a key will await you at the designated spot, embossed with the bar’s wise avian mascot, he of Hedwig’s ilk.

What you’re having: One of its pre-Prohibition classics – either the Embury’s Bobby Burns, that marries Scotch and sweet vermouth, or the Amaretto Sour, a flavourful, nutty alternative to the usual whisky version.

Image: Adil Hasan

Whisky Samba, Gurugram

The stuff of peated fantasies, this plush spot stocks over 120 different whiskies right up to the ceiling. But don’t expect stuffy highback chairs or smoky cigar corners in this whisky haven. From Thursday through the weekend, Whisky Samba transforms into a hip party spot – loud, buzzing and always a smart choice for a big night out. Pro tip: Getting to a bartender can be difficult on busy nights, so ask for large pours.

What you’re having: Whisky, of course. If you’re feeling especially rich, a dram of its choicest Johnnie Walker Odyssey or limited-edition Bunnahabhain 23 Year Old will hit the right spot.

Woodside Inn, Lower Parel, Mumbai

There’s something instantly familiar about this comforting neighbourhood bar, even if it’s your first time through the door. Much like its Colaba and Andheri outposts, this one’s cosy and friendly, with an ace Nineties rock playlist setting the mood. “Twenty-five beers on tap, dispensed from one of the most beautifully designed bars in the city – the only thing that tops the drinks is the grub: a combination of Woodside classics and some new favourites by Chef Nikhil Abhyankar,” says Gauri Devidayal, co-founder of Mumbai fine-dine The Table and the uber hip Magazine Street Kitchen in Byculla.

What you’re having: Any of the craft beers on tap, from five of Mumbai’s top microbreweries: Doolally, Independence Brewing Co, Brewbot, Barking Deer, White Owl and Gateway Brewing Co. Those seeking an additional kick can infuse their hops with mogra, coriander, jackfruit, rosemary or pineapple via a nifty gadget called the Randall, which travels between the three outposts. Follow @woodsidemumbai on Instagram to track it; cocktail aficionados, stay woke for posts on the Inn’s pop-up Cocktail Guru evenings.

Sly Granny, Bengaluru

An old granny’s home that’s been given a contemporary facelift, Sly Granny is dotted with eclectic accessories, including vintage phones and a curious Schwarzenegger-pineapple wallpaper. It all comes together as a delightful mashup of the old and new. Start your evening at the peppy upper level’s bar, terrace and dance floor, before heading downstairs for a meal. If you’re looking for an exalted cocktail experience, ask to be led to the ‘secret room’. There, you’ll find nothing as kinky as you’re imagining, but you won’t be disappointed either.

PDA, Delhi

This LGBT-friendly martini bar is all about celebrating love. With a cocktail list that reads like a heady novella – each drink gets a page of racy description – this is where you kick back with a mean Vesper, without feeling judged. Rainbow Thursdays are friendly, fun and can get a bit crazy, but on other nights, PDA echoes a chic uptownNew York cocktail bar vibe, down to the last details, from an impressive line-up of bitters to intricate glassware.

What you’re having: The Chamomile Negroni, a lovely, balanced twist on the original, and The Invincible Spirit, a potent blend of rum, vermouth, red wine vinegar and Herbustra. Located on the ground floor of the restaurant Diva (PDA stands for PCO Diva Agenzia), Chef Ritu Dalmia’s canapés are the perfect accompaniment – try the Arancine with asparagus and hints of truffle oil, and the Prawn Skewers with your Bloody Mary.

“Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came.” This one’s the local equivalent of the bar Cheers from the hit Eighties show of the same name – sans Ted Danson, and with better cocktails. A vibrant, lively space helmed by cocktail guru Yangdup Lama, it almost never disappoints.

What you’re having: The bartenders here make a top-notch Clover Club with gin, raspberry syrup, lemon juice and egg white. Better yet, tell them what you like (or don’t), and they’ll whip up something appropriate.

Image: toastandtonic.com

Toast & Tonic, Bengaluru

A local staple, Manu Chandra’s country barn-style bar was among the first to eschew artificial flavours in favour of home-made bitters and tonics to create a signature G+T list. Mumbai finally gets a taste of the action at T&T’s recently opened outpost in BKC.

What you’re having: The Herbalist with basil and orange tonic and the Gin-tleman’s Tonic, a beguiling blend of jasmine tea, elderflower and grapefruit tonic. We also like the Monsoon Star, with star anise and pear tonic, for those rainy days.

Image: Facebook /@ThePianoManJazzClub

The Piano Man, Delhi

The perfect spot for a laid-back evening where the music is key, with a new performer taking the stage almost every night. This jazz bar single-handedly upped Delhi’s cultural quotient when it opened a few years ago – and its continuing intimate, seductive New Orleans vibe wins it a spot on our list of greats.

What you’re having: Whisky. Neat. Or the Sidecar.

Image: mbessy.com

M’Bessy, Chennai

M’Bessy is where cricketer Dwayne Bravo and footballer Luís Figo hang out on their off days. Order a plate of the boozy Texas JD chicken wings and the Netted Chilli Garlic Prawns to line your stomach before you start drinking.

What you’re having: The gin-based Royal Tea Punch with home-made spiced tea and bitters.